For me, King’s has opened a beautiful porte into Paris and a year doing my dream job, lecturing.For my boyfriend, also a King’s graduate, Kings has helped him form his own theatre company, Dunnico Media. He gained acting and directing experience by joining the King’s Players and even received money from the King’s Annual Fund in order to put on The Rivals at The Camden Frige a couple of years ago. Tomorrow, he is putting on a production of James Joyce’s only play, Exiles, with a modern re-vamp. I’m really looking forward to it.Great Dover Street -where it all beganAnd to think this all this started in Freshers Week 2008. I of course take full credit (only joking) because, so that my boyfriend went to audition for the King’s players, I agreed to go along and audition too, even though my acting repetoire consists only of a surprised look and a pretty terrible impression of Arsene Wenger (Well… eurgh).

This time last year…So… how does an MA student spend their summer you ask? The answer is inside at a desk wishing she were outside in the sun. It does feel strange to still be studying at this time of year. My brain keeps asking why I am spending countless hours writing when it is the summer.

The last few weeks have been very busy but very exciting for me. In between writing 11,000 words for my upgrade (more on that shortly), I’ve been lucky enough to have been working part time for King’s Cultural Institute. As a passionate believer in the need to bring together academia and the cultural sectors to reach wider audiences, I am really inspired by the work of KCI and their innovation in public engagement.By first involvement with KCI was as a gallery assistant at the Integrating Knowledge exhibition at Inigo Rooms The project paired King’s academics and PhD students with MA Communication Design students from Central St Martin’s to create art installations and videos that share academic research in a way that entices the public. Working at the gallery was an amazing opportunity to meet the artists and learn about their work, as well as seeing first hand how visitors appreciated both the artistic and the educational qualities of the works. (See my full blog about the event here).Then, as of last Friday, I am working on the Arts and the Digital Creative Lab project, taking notes and writing reports

“What is it that a novel can do, that a film can’t?” Kazuo Ishiguro frowns and stares at a point near the back row of the old anatomy theatre. “It is a question I have asked myself many times already, but it’s nevertheless a hard one.” Ishiguro barely engages in any public events, so his seminar at King’s College London on this sunny weekday evening is a very unique happening. He is the first speaker in a series called “The Joy of Influence“, in which well-known writers talk about their passion for other art forms, including film, but also opera, painting and video games. The old-fashioned benches of the theatre are completely filled with listeners, and the quiet squeaking of the wood fills the room while someone bends forward in anticipation of what Ishiguro will reply. Kazuo Ishiguro was the first guest of the Joy of Influence seminar series at King’s College London

Another lovely career first to report this week. I’m preparing to participate in my first conferences, speaking on elements of my research. All very exciting, and an excellent opportunity to ‘plog’ if ever there was one.First up is the Transatlantic Historical Approaches conference, being held from May 28-9, and run by King’s history postgrads in conjunction with the lovely folk over at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. This two day event will give me the opportunity to present my findings on Welsh responses to the first Irish Home Rule crisis, in conjunction with a partner student from UNC. My supervisor will act as commentator and a question and answer session will follow.

So… I have not blogged for a while. Sadly, that is because I have had nothing to report as I have spent pretty much every day since I last wrote planning and writing essays. I must admit I am pretty exhausted by now but I only have one more essay left to write. Thankfully, this one is only 3000 words. But as soon as that’s over I have a dissertation proposal left to write for four days after the deadline, then an exam to prepare for